Mr Reginald Zaandam (UPC) filed a motion for a referendum to be held before the end of 2014 this afternoon at the island council meeting. Mr. Rueben Merkman (DP) and Ms. Millicent Lijfrock (independent), who organized a townhall meeting about the constitutional status last Sunday, voted against. So did Adelka Spanner (DP). Only Franklyn Brown (STEP) voted in favor.

(from teh Daily Herald) (picture FDR airport Marius Popma) ST. EUSTATIUS–The cooperating services Customs, the Royal Marechaussees (military police) and the Police Corps recently carried out a so-called 100 per cent control at the F.D. Roosevelt Airport, during which all arriving passengers, luggage and freight were inspected. A man arriving on a Winair flight from St. Maarten was arrested. He had 2,358 grams of marijuana with an estimated street value of US $16,500 in his luggage. Both the suspect and the drugs were passed on to the Marechaussees for further investigation. The next day, during a routine control by customs at the same airport, a man carrying 492 grams of marijuana was arrested. Also this man had arrived on a Winair fl ight from St. Maarten. The marijuana, with an estimated street value of US $3.400, was hidden in an “Ice tea” can. This suspect and the drugs were also passed on to the Marechaussees for further investigation. According to a press release from Customs, cooperation between the judicial chain partners is intensifying and the results are evident. In the future there will be more of these types of joint actions. “Customs and its chain partners will remain alert on attempts to smuggle drugs into the islands,” the release concluded.

(From the Daily Herald, picture Mr. Tearr on the left is congratulated by commissioner Glenn Schmidt) ST. EUSTATIUS–Tearr Aviation Services NV will soon be starting fuelling facilities for aircraft at F.D. Roosevelt Airport. Company director Carlyle Tearr said he would be starting the delivery of aviation fuel as soon as possible, possibly next month. The fuel equipment arrived at the airport Friday afternoon. Tearr said his operations, which include storage tanks for kerosene, would be in full compliance with all rules and regulations, including the Airport Management Plan.

He said that some minor details would still have to be worked out with local and Dutch airport authorities. “Once everything is straightened out, we are ready to go,” Tearr said. It is the company’s intention to also cater to bigger jet planes in the future, including private jets flying in from St. Maarten to re-fuel here.

“It is sometimes a big hassle for pilots to re-fuel their aircraft at Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Maarten. There is often a shortage in fuel and long waiting hours. It would be better for them to come here and get the fuel quicker and save time,” said Tearr. An added value is that F.D. Roosevelt Airport is not obstructed by any hills, which means that take-off is not as energyconsuming as it is from St. Maarten, according to Tearr. The tank that arrived Friday can hold 6,000 gallons of fuel. A second tank, which is to arrive at a later date, will be of the same size or a little larger. Tearr thanked Colbert Richardson of St. Maarten and Lloyd Aviation in Anguilla for their advice and consultations in establishing his business.